Dancing with the Stars 2023 premiere recap: Spears family cameo, Kyle Richards, 'Scandoval' revenge dress

Hello! Welcome to our Dancing with the Stars premiere night live blog, where we’ll be recapping the very first episode of season 32!

Follow along as we explore the episode’s highs, the lows, the season’s very first dances, and (potentially) the very first goodbye. Stay tuned!

P.S. Want a refresher on who’s competing this season? Check out the full cast below:

READ: Dancing with the Stars 2023 full cast: Alyson Hannigan, Marvel stars, Mauricio Umansky, and more!

Want to learn more about some of our contestants tonight? Here are a few reads we think you might enjoy...

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MORE: Alyson Hannigan movies and TV shows: where you might know her from

MORE: 5 shocking Dancing with the Stars feuds – Carrie Ann Inaba, Julianne Hough and more

MORE: DWTS 2023 pro Britt Stewart reveals which judge she's most nervous to impress, teases season 32

MORE: See inside Dancing with the Stars' Bruno Tonioli two very different homes

MORE: Remembering the Dancing with the Stars icons who have died

Hosts Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough get an intergalactic outer space-themed introduction, which concludes with the pros' opening number to a remix of Dua Lipa's "Levitating."

This is the first season for Julianne as a co-host, having previously served as a judge and professional dancer (the most successful in the show's history). Alfonso joined the show as a co-host last season after participating in and winning season 19.

The hosts acknowledged up top the devastating absence of Len Goodman, who announced last season that he would be retiring from the show and tragically passed away at the age of 78 earlier this year.

Julianne called him "irreplaceable" as she showed the audience a glimpse of the newly designed Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, the ultimate prize for the season. The hosts also promised a tribute to the ballroom icon to come in the following weeks.

Marvel star Xochitl Gomez and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy started us off with a cha-cha-cha to "Peanut Butter Jelly" by Galantis.

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann Inaba called out the slight missed timing but stated she had the "it factor," Derek Hough called for her to be more contained while calling her first dance "sensational," and Bruno Tonioli deemed her a "natural" when it came to her performance.

And here are the first scores (in order, Carrie Ann, Derek, Bruno): 6, 6, 6, a total of 18 out of 30!

Barry Williams aka Greg Brady of The Brady Bunch and his partner Peta Murgatroyd danced a positively euphoric foxtrot to "It's a Sunshine Day" from, what else, The Brady Bunch!

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann mentioned that despite a few mistakes, Barry knew how to play to the audience, Derek gushed over him for being fun and "effortless" at the age of 68, Bruno called it a "foxtrot with a sunny disposition" and complimented him for a great debut.

Everyone cheered him on for wanting to be on the show for 17 years and finally achieving that goal. And here are the scores: 6, 5, 5, a total of 16 out of 30!

Tyson Beckford and his partner Jenna Johnson danced a sensual cha-cha-cha to "Never Too Much" by Luther Vandross, leaning on his experience with the Chippendales. Annnnd we also have a split from the 52-year-old supermodel.

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann asked Tyson to work on his tempo but noted his potential,  Derek said he was "flat-footed" but gushed over his showier moves, Bruno, after a bit of his signature flirting, praised his strong moves and personality, but asked him to work on his technique.

And here are the scores: 4, 4, 4, a total of 12 out of 30! Catch the boos from the audience, though. "Attitude is everything!" Tyson said in response to the lower scores.

Actress Alyson Hannigan and her partner Sasha Farber danced the salsa to "Never Gonna Not Dance Again" by P!nk, with the How I Met Your Mother star also reflecting on her "traumatic" experience with ballet as a toddler.

The judges have spoken (after a standing ovation from the audience): Carrie Ann celebrated Alyson's dance debut on national television while asking her to embody more sensuality, Derek raved over the joy in her performance, called her facial expressions a "10" and asked her to focus on technique, Bruno loved her attitude while emphasizing the importance of timing.

And here are the scores: 5, 4, 4, a total of 13 out of 30! Ever the good sport, Alyson and Sasha waved and cheered their way through it all, gotta love 'em!

Social media star and Too Hot to Handle star Harry Jowsey and partner Rylee Arnold, the season's newest pro, danced the cha-cha-cha to "Rock Your Body" by Justin Timberlake. And halfway through, Harry's shirt comes off, and we think Bruno might have some thoughts…

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann asked for more comfort on the dancefloor, Derek, while acknowledging he was a little "scared" by how timid Harry seemed, loved how flashy the performance was, Bruno commended his first ever dance while asking him to embrace technique (and added: "when in doubt, get your chest out").

And here are the scores: 4, 4, 4, a total of 12 out of 30! Plus some not-to-miss commentary on Harry's 6 ft 5 in height proving difficult for doorways.

Singer-songwriter Jason Mraz and his partner Daniella Karagach take to the dancefloor with a floorwork-heavy cha-cha-cha to Jason's own tune, "I Feel Like Dancing," and this audience is going WILD!

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann immediately deemed Jason's performance the "best of the night," Derek couldn't resist giving him a standing ovation, and Bruno was full of praise for his footwork.

And here are the scores: 7, 7, 7, a total of 21 out of 30, capping off what looked to be a triumphant debut for the Grammy winner!

Scoreboard check: Jason and Daniella currently lead the pack (21), followed by Xochitl and Val (18), Barry and Peta (16), Alyson and Sasha (13), and a tie for the bottom between Harry and Rylee plus Tyson and Jenna (12 each).

Arguably the night's most buzzed-about contestant, Zoey 101 star Jamie Lynn Spears and her partner Alan Bersten danced the tango to "Don't Call Me Up (Zac Samuel Remix)" by Mabel. Her family members, including her (and sister Britney Spears') mom Lynne Spears, were in attendance to cheer her on.

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann gushed over Jamie Lynn lighting up the room with her smile while asking her to be more fluid, Derek gave the Nickelodeon star credit for her natural ability, and Bruno implored her to find the "power" from her feet.

And here are the scores: 5, 5, 5, a total of 15 out of 30!

NFL star Adrian Peterson and his partner Britt Stewart danced the salsa to "Yeah!" by newly announced Super Bowl headliner (coincidence?) Usher.

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann noted Adrian's commitment, Derek commended Adrian for playing to his strengths with his natural athleticism, and Bruno asked for more rhythm and fluidity.

And here are the scores: 6, 6, 6, a total of 18 out of 30! Let's see whether Adrian can follow in the strong track record established by previous NFL contestants (with two previous winners, but no pressure)...

Vine and TikTok legend Lele Pons and her partner Brandon Armstrong danced the tango to "El Tango de Roxanne" from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack. And we might have a contender on our hands…

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann complimented Lele's power and force, Derek called her performance "sharp, strong," and Bruno asked for focus on balance while calling her dance "red hot!"

And here are the scores: 6, 7, 6, a total of 19 out of 30! Despite a broken nail, Lele skyrockets to second place on the leaderboard, just behind Jason Mraz.

Actress and Oscar winner Mira Sorvino and her partner Gleb Savchenko danced the cha-cha-cha to "Kiss" by Prince & The Revolution, crediting her love for dance to watching Fred Astaire movies with her late father, actor Paul Sorvino.

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann called Mira "refined," adding that Len would've loved it, Derek asked her to focus on her natural talent for dance, and Bruno said she was a "great actor and great dancer."

And here are the scores: 6, 5, 6, a total of 17 out of 30! "I'm grateful, happy!" the Mighty Aphrodite star gushed in response.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills house husband and Buying Beverly Hills star Mauricio Umansky and Emma Slater danced the jive to "I Ain't Worried" by One Republic. The realtor acknowledged his "rough year" with wife Kyle Richards, who was in the audience to cheer him on.

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann was pleasantly surprised by his enthusiasm and encouraged him to try a more sensual style, Derek was full of praise for the technically strong jive, and Bruno concluded with "strong presentation, fix the foundation."

And here are the scores: 5, 5, 5, a total of 15 out of 30!

READ: Real Housewives star Kyle Richards has an eye-watering net worth, but there's one caveat

The Bachelorette star Charity Lawson and her partner Artem Chigvintsev danced the tango to "Only Girl (In the World)" by Rihanna (ending with a stage FULL of rose petals, the budget is budgeting).

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann had to stop herself from swearing over how elegant Charity was, Derek asked her to internalize the praise while deeming the performance "beautiful," and Bruno simply called her a "stunner."

And here are the scores: 7, 7, 8, a total of 22 out of 30, the highest of the night so far! The tradition of the Bachelorverse yielding success on the show lives on! (and don't miss some of the women from the upcoming spin-off, The Golden Bachelor, in the audience)

Comedian and Veep star Matt Walsh and his partner Koko Iwasaki danced the cha-cha-cha to "Poison" by Bell Biv DeVoe. The actor made his appearance on the show after briefly considering stepping away in solidarity with the WGA strikes.

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann said that Matt's performance reminded her of the show's older seasons, where showmanship took precedence, Derek said he needed "a lot of work" but complimented his facial expressions, and Bruno said: "It was entertaining, what can I say!"

And here are the scores: 4, 4, 4, a total of 12 out of 30! The audience does not seem happy, and Julianne enthusiastically agreed with the resounding boos to boost Matt's confidence.

We close out the night with Ariana Madix and her partner Pasha Pashkov dancing the tango to "Love Myself (Riddler Remix)" by Hailee Steinfeld. The Vanderpump Rules star touched on the Scandoval that made it seem like her "partner and best friend thought of me as a joke," and called DWTS a way to "stand on her own two feet."

Also, sidenote, that red gown with the striped band, that has to be a callback to her revenge dress from the Vanderpump Rules reunion, right?

The judges have spoken: Carrie Ann boldly declared "cheaters suck!" while Derek and Bruno both enthusiastically declared her "red hot" and "killer" while commenting on her footwork.

And here are the scores: 7, 7, 7, a total of 21 out of 30!

We have a bottom two, based on a combination of the judges' scores and audience votes, and they are...

Matt Walsh & Koko Iwasaki and Mauricio Umansky & Emma Slater.

After an exciting night of performances, the first couple eliminated from Dancing with the Stars season 32 is Matt Walsh and Koko Iwasaki, based on a combination of the judges' scores and audiences voting at home. "Koko's the best, I had a wonderful time. I had a wonderful experience, and I ask the judges to rewatch that routine sometime!" Matt joked in response.

Next week is Latin Night! 13 couples remain, who will be eliminated next (imagine former DWTS host Tyra Banks' America’s Next Top Model voice)? Thank you for tuning into our Dancing with the Stars season 32 premiere live blog! Stay tuned for more as the season progresses!